“So this is all good and all, but what are the plans now?” Asked Niki as he changed the subject. He was happy for Jeongwoo, don’t get him wrong, but there was a reason they were meeting today.

“Big- big brother should be returning from his sessions soon,” reminded Seobin as he sighed in resignation. “Juho went with him this time,” he explained with a shrug. “Said he didn’t deserve to go alone this time, and big brother couldn’t- couldn’t refuse,” he added.

“So we’re revealing you- your secret right?” Asked Junkyu, making sure he had everything correct since Jeongwoo had only given a brief summary. “Sorry, I’m still trying to piece together the whole- story?” He asked. “Also sorry, if I sound confused during most of this- conversation, I’m still getting used to- to speaking again,” he added as an afterthought.

“Yes,” responded Seobin as he nodded his head. “I feel like it’s finally time to reveal it, but I honestly don’t remember the accident too well,” he grumbled, letting out a soft sigh. “Too much happened during that time, so I don’t remember much,” he added.

“What do you remember of the accident?” asked Niki as he looked curious.

“Pain, Chanyoung yelling at me to try to keep me awake, and then darkness,” responded Seobin as he shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t- don’t remember much after that, or what led up to that point,” he explained. “I just know that I wasn’t myself for a long time afterwards, I came to when he- he first tried to um,” he added, stuttering as he struggled to find the words to say.

“It’s okay,” reassured Jeongwoo as he stopped Seobin from speaking more on the matter. “We should see when Chanyoung returns from his sessions and plan out from there,” he added.

“Until then we should act like normal, and try to plan through the chat,” reminded Jeonggeun. “We need to make sure no one suspects a thing, and we’ll go from there,” he added.

With that everyone split up, going their separate ways and leaving Jeongwoo alone with Jeonggeun and Junkyu.

“Well,” started Jeonggeun as he turned to Junkyu. “Where do you live? We’ll walk you home?” He asked.

“Ah, I live nearby actually,” responded Junkyu as he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. “I can make my way home,” he reassured with an awkward chuckle.

“No, it’s okay,” reassured Jeonggeun. “We insist,” he added, a friendly grin appearing as Junkyu sputtered, trying to come up with a counter.

“If- if you insist,” grumbled Junkyu as he nodded his head. “I don’t think my friends realize I’ve met my soulmate yet, so that will be… Something,” he added with a nervous chuckle.

“Jake’s gonna be-,” sighed Jeongwoo as he was cut off by the arrival of someone new.

“Oi! Get away from our friend!” Shouted the new arrival as he walked over with two others behind him.

Junkyu just looked innocently up at the arrival of his friends, blinking in surprise as he saw them.

“We were just having a chat, your friend seems to be lost?” Asked Jeonggeun as he tried to diffuse the situation.

“A chat on this bridge? I doubt it,” remarked the leader of the group.

“What’s your name, friend?” Asked Jeonggeun as he moved to look as intimidating as possible while crossing his arms and facing the group.

“Tell us your names first?” Asked the person in front.

“Not before you tell us yours,” insisted Jeonggeun as he narrowed his eyes, trying to judge them to see how hostile they really were going to be.

“Don’t waste your time with these idiots,” came another voice as Jake walked over with his hands in his hoodie pockets, the emblem of the kings stitched into the sleeve of the hoodie. “They’re a new group who moved into Seoho’s dorms,” he explained.

“And how do you know this?” Asked the leader of the group before he noticed the emblem on the hoodie sleeve. “Ah, let’s get out of here,” he grumbled, scowling before walking towards Jake and nearly shoving him away before running off with the others in his group following after him.

Jake turned to watch them leave before relaxing out of his defensive stance as he turned back towards Jeongwoo and the others. “Are you okay?” He asked.

“We’re fine,” reassured Jeonggeun as he nodded his head. “Thank you for coming to the rescue,” he added, looking relieved that Jake had arrived in time before a physical fight would start.

“Good,” remarked Jake before he turned to Junkyu. “I suggest getting on home now,” he encouraged, speaking slow enough for Junkyu to read his lips.

Junkyu blinked, nodding before quickly scurrying off, stopping and turning to wave at Jeongwoo before continuing on home, dreading what was going to happen back at his dorms.

~

Jake turned to Jeongwoo and Jeonggeun, sighing in exasperation. “You know, if I didn’t just happen to be checking the cameras at the right time I would’ve gotten here a little bit late,” he commented with a scoff, turning and walking back towards the house.

Jeongwoo and Jeonggeun followed after him, deciding to keep the fact that Jeongwoo could talk a secret for now.

~

Junkyu sat in his room, staring at his phone and waiting for the first notification of the new group chat he found himself in. He only recognized Jeongwoo’s number, since that was the first thing that Jeongwoo had given him, but he wasn’t sure who else was in this chat.

Jeongwoo: guys, I added Junkyu to the chat

I hope you don’t mind

Seobin: Oh!

Hi Junkyu!

I don’t know if you have my number but you do now!

Jeonggeun: that was Seobin

this number is mine

it’s Jeonggeun

Juho: hello

I’m Juho

I don’t think we’ve met yet but I’m Seobin’s soulmate

Niki: hey Junkyu!

you’re in Seoho’s dorms right?

it’s Niki by the way

I heard from Allen that Seoho had to open up his dorms due to the influx of people

Junkyu: yes

sorry I had to make sure I saved everyone’s number so I knew who was who

sorry about my friends though

they tend to be protective over me

since I helped them a lot anyway

Jeongwoo: no worries!

I respect that, I know how it is anyway

since Jake’s the same way

Jeonggeun: he’s only like that with you

he’s not like that with me

Jeongwoo: he is though

you may not see it but

I know Jake, he’s more than just

that

if that makes sense

Junkyu: I get that

Hyunsuk and Doyoung are the same way

Hyunsuk was the guy who looked like he wanted to fight

don’t be harsh to him though

he’s been through a lot

anyway

I need to go, we’ll talk later!

With that Junkyu put his phone down, letting out a soft sigh and jumping at the sound. He really needed to get used to being able to hear things again. Especially now that he could finally hear what his friends were talking about. He wondered how long he could keep up the facade of being deaf for before someone in his group figured it out.